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I am disappointed, very disappointed with the performance of Fortune. A 6.75 aggregate score, that's too poor, even for an amateur writer like me. And to think that I only got a single feedback for the second chapter, that's plain poor.
I have a system I keep to while reading a story here on SOL. If a story is good enough, I vote then send feedback to the writer. But, if a story isn't good enough, I don't bother voting or even sending feedback to the writer; it's my own way of telling him that he should just stop writing before I puke.
In the same vein, I think the message is loud and clear: stop writing dude before we puke! And I'm kind of taking the advice; I'm not writing.
I'm not much of a perfectionist but I don't like wasting my time on endeavors that aren't good enough. Clearly, Fortune isn't good enough and every fibre in me is telling me to not waste my time. I don't know yet, but we'll see after the break. But if I do not continue with Fortune, may I be the first to say that you just missed out on a very interesting tale.
Happy Holidays and Enjoy!!
May Fortune guide you in your Journey!!!
SO, I just posted a new story online. It's the first story I'd ever published that the protagonist is white.I feel like I should explain the rationale behind my actions.
Many of you are aware that I'm a full-blooded Nigerian male with both Nigerian parents. What you probably might not know is that my first exposure to the captivating world of literature is a foreign novel--sorry I can't really remember the exact one seeing as I have short-term memory.
The import of this was that the first image I ever had of my mind, the first imaginary character I ever created was a white male who'd understand what I'm mostly going through. My first character was a blonde male with blue eyes and a compassion for others that is not necessarily found in most people-an empathic.
Over the years, as I became introduced to many African literature, and as I became more self aware, the image in my mind became double-a duality, from the word trinity if you get my drift-one part was the very same image I'd always seen; a blonde, blue-eyes white guy and then the image that stared right back at me when I looked in the mirror; a healthy black male white black hair and big brown eyes.
These images were the same to me, each complementing the other. Whenever I'd write down my feelings in my teenage years, it would be the black male writing the white male about what was happening in my life, knowing that he'd completely understand because he was empathic.
Other times, I'd get these visions where the main character is my white male alter ego as he went through what I'd consider normal for a white teen. These Visions were fueled by the numerous foreign movies I saw. I found out that I could identify with most of the characters, like I'd already gone through some of what they're going through.
So, when I thought of writing a story, it was normal that the first thing I write about hinges on my personal real-life experiences. But, after LINF, most of the inspirations came from the experiences of my alter ego.
Fortune isn't really the first story I've written with a white protagonist. The first one is with an editor and the second one is still being written, but is still going to take much time to edit and post. I'm actually looking for editors to help with that one.
I wanted a test run for what is a path that I see my writing career going. I wanted to see how well my story would integrate with other foreign-charactered stories.
And I must say, within a space of one day, the response has been amazing. I still look forward to some of your responses but the ones I've gotten so far have been encouraging.
About Fortune, some people think that the story is predominantly a romance story. Admitted, it is a romance story where the nerd tries to get the girl, if he can get the girl as there are many twists to that particular tale than you'd never imagine.
But the central idea of the story is about having the courage to pursue what makes you happy. I received a feedback that justified what I'm writing; a guy that went after the thing he wanted the most. It necessarily need not be in your romance life but academically, politically, financially, professionally, what do you really want? And do you want it badly enough that you'd pursue it, consequences be damned? I hope the answer is YES.
Zac Effron recently tattoed himself with the word 'YOLO'. When asked what it meant, he said it means 'You Only Live Once'. I was captivated by that statement. And I've tattoed 'YOLO' in my heart, to remind me everyday that I have the strength to pursue whatever it is that I think will make me happy.
Fortune is my contribution to the course of 'YOLO' and I hope that my story will inspire you to reach for the things you desire most in your life. And may Fortune guide you in your Journey!!!
Brightstar.
To my dearest readers,
Though it may seem like I have forgotten or stopped posting my stories, it is not as it seems.
Life Is Not Fair was supposed to be a hobby, something to while away my time. I started writing it as a way to hone my writing skills and develop a way of employing good dialogue to my work, but it has become much more than just a hobby, an assignment. Turns out that I have an unresolved nightmare, an unhealed wound. now it has become much more and in order to write again, I must come to terms with what has happened and move on, i must allow myself the time to heal. so I wish that my faithful readers will exercise a little patience until I resolve my emotions or at least finish with my finals. Thank you all for you correspondences, especially the guy that compared my work to Lord of the Rings. FYI: my favorite character is Frodo, because I believe in destiny.
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